Receptacle transfer mechanism



oct. 1s, 1940. J. P. HE... ET AL 2,217,982

RECEPTACLE TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed April 27, 1939 f3 SnGeS-Sheet l Oct.l5, 1940. J, P. HEM. Er AL RECEPTACLE TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed April 27,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 15, 1940 2,217,982 RECEPTACLETRANSFER MECHANISM Julius P. Heil, Whitefish Bay,

Kessler, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a

and Frederick P. to The Heil corporation of Wisconsin Application April2,7, 1939, Serial No. 270,290

8 Claims.

Our present invention relates generally to imprcvements sion of objectsfrom one locality t in the art of transferring a succeso another, and

or rows of receptacles such as cans one conveyor to another. Generallydefined, an obj or bottles from ect of our present invention is toprovide an improved receptacle transfer mechanism which is simple inconstruction and reliable in operation, and our present application isinal application Serial No. 181,584,

a continuation in part of an origfiled December 24, 1937, which hasmatured to Patent No. 2,144,800', granted January 24, 1939.

Some of the more specific objects of our invention are as follows:

To provide new and improved mechanism for automatically transferringreceptacles such as cams or bottles either singly or in rows, from aconveyor travelling in one direction to another conveyor travelling inanother direction.

To provide improved receptacle transfer mechanism for periodically orbottles in rectilinear rows, and tently shifting the successive rows areceiving platform or conveyor.

arranging a, Self-IGS Of Cans for intermitlaterally onto -To provide anew and useful receptacle handling assemblage adapted to rapidly andeffectively change the direction of travel of a multiplicity of circularcans or glass bottles, and to simultaneously arrange the objects inregular order.

These and other specific objects and advan- A clear conception of thesevera stituting the l features conpresent improvement, and of the modeof constructing and of operating receptacle transfer mechanismsembodying may be had by referring to the dr the invention, awingsaccompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein likereference characters designate the same or similar parts in the variousviews.

Fig. 1 is a relatively diagrammatic top view of a rather simplereceptacle transfer mechanism embodying our invention,

showing the same ap-` plied to fragments of transversely movablereceptacle conveyors;

Fig. 2 is a rather diagrammatic side of the assemblage of Fig. 1;

elevation Fig. 3 is an enlarged and more complete side View of acommercial assemblage present invention;

embodying our (Cl. E38-'31) Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged and completedtop view of the assemblage of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a likewise enlarged and compl-ete end view of the assemblageof Figs. 3 and 4. y While our present invention has been shown 5 anddescribed herein as being specifically applied to mechanism forsuccessively transferring rectilinear rows of bottles to a fixed supportand from thence to a relatively wide conveyor for transporting the rowsen masse, it is not our in- 10 tention to unnecessarily restrict thescope or utility of the improvement by virtue of such specificembodiment. Referring specifically to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, ourinvention in its broadest aspect l'v` comprises generally a longitudinalreceptacle supply conveyor 8 adapted to arrange a succession ofreceptacles such as bottles 9 in rectilineal elongated row sections; alateral conveyor I0 consiste ing of a series of pivotally interconnectedlinks I I gli and rollers I2 coacting with sprocket wheels I3, theconveyor I0 travelling transversely of the direction of movement of theconveyor 8; stationary transfer plates i4 interposed between thereceptacle supporting decks of the conveyors 8, 25 I9; and elongatedpusher member or bar i5 movable to parallel positions across the supplyconveyor 8; several parallel slotted levers I6 having fixed fulcrum pinsI1 coacting with the medial slots I8 thereof and having correspondingends 3'0 pivotally attached to the pusher bar I5 by pins I9; andsimultaneously revolvable eccentrics 2D having eccentric pins 2|coacting with the opposite corresponding ends of the levers I6.

The cooperating conveyors B, I0 may be either continuously orintermittently movable, and the bottles 9 may obviously be replaced byother types of receptacles such as food or liquid laden cans.` Theopposite sides of the lateral conveyor I9 are preferably provided withguide walls Z2, 23, the i0 latter of which extends over the deck of theconveyor 8 so as to prevent the bottle rows from being carried beyondthe zone of the conveyor I0. The transfer plates I4 are preferably Xedlymounted so as to present a smooth transfer surface over which thereceptacles may be pushed or transferred en masse by the pusher bar l5,from one conveyor to the other without tipping the bottles 9. Theeccentric disks 20 are mounted upon rotary shafts 2t each having a bevelgear 25 secured to the lower end thereof, and thesegears aresimultaneously revolvable in the same direction by means of bevelpinions 2E carried by a` common drive shaft 21.

The modified receptacle transfer assemblage of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is quitesimilar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, and in the modification one of thebevel gears 25' is driven by a pinion 28 secured to a power shaft 29which is rotatable through a belt or chain drive 30 by the motor 3|.This motor 3| also serves to drive the supply conveyor 8 through chaingearing 32 or the like, and the other bevel gear 25 is rotatablesimultaneously with the gear 25 by means of pinions 26 carried by acounter shaft 2l. In the modication, the levers I6 function to move thepusher bar I5 to parallel positions and across the conveyor 8 inprecisely the same manner as in Figs. l and 2, but the bar I5 isadditionally guided and stablized by means of guide rods 33 thecorresponding ends of which are articulably connected to the bar l5 bypivot pins 34, and the medial portions of which are freely slidable inswivel blocks 35 having pivots 36 coacting with the main frame of themachine.

During normal operation of the transfer mechanisms, the two conveyors 8,III are being operated either continuously or intermittently, and thesupply conveyor 8 is functioning to arrange the incoming bottles 9 insuccessive rows as shown in Fig. 1, while the pusher bar I5 is retractedfrom the path of travel of the entering bottles. The eccentric disks 2bare being revolved in the direction indicated in Fig. 4, thereby causingthe pins 2! to swing the levers I6 about the fixed fulcrum pins I 'Iwhile at, the same time causing the slots I8 of these levers I6 to ridealong the fixed pins Il'. As shown in Fig. 4, the levers I6 are about topush the bar I5 across the supply conveyor 8, and after this action hastaken place, the levers I6 are drawn away-from the conveyor 8 and atsuch times the bar I 5 is pulled away from the conveyor 8 aconsiderab-le distance. During such withdrawal of the bar I5, thebottles 9 are arranged in rows in the path of travel of the bar I5, andthe end wall 23 prevents the bottle rows from passing beyond the zone ofaction of the pusher bar. As the successive rows of bottles 9 are pushedoff of the conveyor 8 onto the stationary plates I4, they collect enmasse but retain their approximate row formations. The successive rowswill be advanced along the plates I4 by subsequent actions of the pusherbar, and the bottles will be ultimately pushed off of the plates I4 ontothe lateral conveyor I0 as indicated in Fig. 1. In this manner, thesuccessive rows of bottles 9 which are supplied by the conveyor 8 aredischarged from this conveyor across the fixed plates I4 to the conveyorID, and this transfer is effected Without danger of having the bottlestip over. The danger of tipping is perhaps greatest when tall bottles 9such as shown in the drawings are utilized, and diminishes with shorterand stubbier bottles, and with tin cans.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that our presentinvention provides a bottle transfer mechanism which is extremely simplein construction 'but which is highly efcient in operation. The movementof the levers I6 causes the pusher bar I5 to assume parallel positionsas it approaches and recedes from the conveyor 8, and with the aid ofguide bars 33, such as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, greater stability maybe provided for the bar I5. These guide bars 33 are not howeveressential, since the levers IB alone will produce parallel lateraltravel of the bar I5. The assemblage besides being simple inconstruction is also durable and positive in action, and all parts ofthe mechanism are readily accessible for inspection. The improvedtransfer assemblage has proven highly successful in actual commercialuse, in conjunction with the operation of pasteurizers for beer, but theimprovement is obviously more generally applicable to other types oftransfer assemblages'. Due to its simplicity, this receptacle transfermechanism may obviously be installed and operated at extremely moderatecost, and the power required for operation of the mechanism isnegligible.

With the present improved receptacle transfer mechanism, it is notnecessary to stop the supply of receptacles which are being advanced bythe conveyor 8, or to accumulate the incoming receptacles preparatory tothe next feeding movement of the transfer or pusher bar I5, as in priortransfer mechanisms of this general type. This is an extremely importantfeature of our invention, and our present improvement permitsuninterrupted advancement of the receptacles 9 by the constantly movingsupply conveyor 8, and therefore enables constant and uniform transferof the receptacles from one conveyor to the other without shocks or gapsin the continuity.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction or tothe precise mode of operation,herein shown and described, for various modications within the scope ofthe claims may occur to persons skilled in the art,

We claim:

1. In combination, a supply conveyor formed to arrangesuccessiverreceptacles in rows, a receptacle receiving conveyor movabletransversely of the direction of travel of said supply conveyor, apusher bar movable near and across and in the direction of travel ofsaid supply conveyor, slotted levers pivotally mounted at one end tosaid bar and slidable along fixed fulcrums and being simultaneouslyswingable to parallel positions to move said bar to parallel positionsacross said supply conveyor, and a power driven eccentric for operatingeach lever.

2. In combination, receptacle supply and receiving conveyors, apusherbar movable with one of said conveyors to transfer successive rows ofreceptacle to the other, a plurality of levers pivotally mounted at oneend to said bar and oscillat-able about and slidable along fixed pivotsto impart receptacle transfer motion to said bar, and a power driveneccentric for operating each lever.

3. In combination, receptacle supply and receiving conveyors, a fixedreceptacle support interposed between said conveyors, a pusher barmovable across and in the direction of travel of one of said conveyorstoward the other, a plurality of slotted levers pivotally attached tosaid bar and simultaneously oscillatable about and movable laterally offixed pivotsto transfer rows of receptaces from one conveyor to theother across said support, and a power driven eccentric for operatingeach lever.

4. In combination, relatively transversely movable receptacle supply andreceiving conveyors, a pusher bar movable laterally along and across one of said conveyors to transfer receptacles to the other, a pluralityof levers pivotally mounted at one end to said -bar and swingable aboutand slidable laterally along fixed fulcrums to move said bar, andsimultaneously revolving eccentrics for moving said levers to parallelpositions to produce parallel movement of said bar.

5. In combination, relatively transversely movable receptacle supply andreceiving conveyors, a pusher bar movable laterally across one of saidconveyors to transfer receptacles to the other, a plurality of leverseach having a slotted medial portion swingable about and slidablerelative to a fixed fulcrum and also having one end pivotally attachedto said bar, and an eccentric coacti-ng with the other end of each leverto oscilla-te and move the same,

5. In combination, relatively transversely movable receptacle conveyors,a stationary receptacle support interposed between said conveyors, apusher bar movable laterally across one of said conveyors to transferreceptacles over said support and onto the other conveyor, laterallyspaced oscillatory and longitudinally shifta'ble leversv for moving saidbar, and oscillatory and longitudinally movable pivotally mounted guiderods coacting With said bar between said levers,

7. In combination, relatively transversely movable receptacle supply andreceiving conveyors, a

pusher bar movable laterally across one of said conveyors to transferreceptacles to the other, fixed fulcrum pins, a plurality of levers eachhaving a slotted medial portion svvingable about and slidable along oneof said fulcrum pins and also having one end pivotally attached to saidbar, and an eccentric lcoacting with the other end of each lever tooscillate and move the same.

8. In combination, approximately horizontal relatively transverselymovable receptacle supply and receiving conveyors, a pusher bar movablelaterally across one of said conveyors to transfer receptacles to theother, fixed upright fulcrum pins, a plurality of levers each having aslotted medial portion sWlngable about and slidable along one of saidfulcrum pins and also having one end pivotally attached to said bar, andan `eccentric coacting With the other end of each lever to oscillate andmove the same. JULIUS P. HEIL. Y FREDERICK P. KESSLER.

